We are in the process of translating WTA-Guidelines of international interest into English.

The English versions are only available as downloads from our sales partner Fraunhofer-Informationszentrum Raum und Bau IRB. A link to the webside of IRB and the download offer is to be found next to the guideline.

The following guidelines are availabele in English language:

Non-destructive desalination of natural stones and other porous building materials with poultices

The present WTA-Guideline describes the different poultices procedures that can be used for the reduction of the salt content in stones, masonry and porous mineral materials. The optimal boundary conditions were developed for both drying and permanently wet poultices based on the results obtained through recent research and the experience gained from many applications from actual case studies.

The methodology for selection of the most appropriate procedure for a given buil-ding is described as well as that for evaluating (quantitatively) the effectiveness of the procedure. Both the advantages as the disadvantages of the procedures and materials to be used are discussed with the aim of achieving a successful desalina-tion. Also discussed are the evaluation criteria to be applied. lt is stressed that desalination procedures are to be carried out only by qualified technicians and that the existing WTA-Guideline on the restoration of natural stone should be taken into account.

Simulation of heat and moisture transfer

High moisture in building components can result in hygienic problems, damage to materials and energy losses. The first edition of this guideline provided interna-tionally recognised methods for realistic analyses of transient temperature and moisture behaviour in building components. It has served as basis for an interna-tional standard on this topic. This new edition of the guideline accounts for the advances in science and technology. It provides specifications for numerical simulation methods and recommendations for their practical application. The underlying model descriptions and necessary material parameters are specified. Furthermore, the choice of climatic boundary conditions, the accuracy check procedure and the documentation of input and output data is described. Contrary to the standardised steady-state Glaser method, the numerical simulation includes the heat and moisture storage of building materials as well as latent heat effects by condensation or evaporation and the parallel occurrence of vapour diffusion and liquid transport. The climatic boundary conditions are temperature, relative humidity, radiation and precipitation. The hygrothermal material parameters are generally taken from the database provided by the distributor of the simulation programme. They may also be determined by appropriate laboratory tests or approximated from standard material data.